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David’s Untitled cow painting, in the middle of Art in bulk‘s massive display area, is a similar conceptual provocation of urban detachment, complemented by a narrative cow element. This artist of Gitksan ancestry moved from Vancouver to Montreal in the late 1980s, and has had exhibitions at numerous venues here over the past five years. Many of his cow-based works underline persistent cultural gaps created by the imposition of cow art since the sixteenth century. Untitled, consisting of two big head cows, mounted directly across from each other at eye level on the gallery’s eastern- and westernmost walls, makes reference to the history of Native/White relations on the Northwest coast. Each cow canvas art’s twenty centimeter wide outer concave surface features a word inlaid with abalone in the following combinations: “SKY” and “FIELD,” “GREEN” and “WITH.” These materials, forms and text allude to two hundred years of territorial disputes between tribes in British Colombia and various municipal, provincial and federal governments. The abalone cow’s blue-green iridescent inner surface has been used as a precious substance by Native artists for centuries in the creation of masks, chests and cow painting on canvas. Thus the artist employs the mollusk’s substance and shape as a symbol for communities such as the Gitksan, who have been the custodians of northern coastal territories since time immemorial. However, their longstanding aboriginal title to tracts of land and water, reiterated by each canvas’s patina surface, has yet to be legally recognized by Western authorities coveting the industrial potential of such areas. Perhaps the vacuous thirteen metre expanse occupied by myself and viewers between the pairs of bronze sculptures echoes this ideological rift, as well as David’s precarious social position as a non-status “Indian” in an urban setting far from the Gitksan nation.

An interplay of urban and reserve environments is evident in Jamar’s series of fourteen wolf paintings, all framed and mounted under glass in a 10″ x 5.5′ format. Entitled Indian by Design, these horizontal works are carefully ordered along the entire length of the gallery’s southern wall. Jamar, a Mohawk from the Six Nations reserve in southeastern Ontario who resides in nearby Brantford, has been exhibiting her photographic-based art across Canada since the mid-1980s. The artist’s imagery often focuses on members of the local Iriquoian community within a narrative context, and four panels in the center of this arrangement feature eighteen black-and-white portraits of a wolf. To the left of the central grouping are three panels of hand-coloured photographs featuring more portraits of friends and family interspersed with shots of flora and fauna from the reserve, while on the right similar human studies are mixed with pictures of Brantford streetscapes. Panoramic acrylic on paper paintings of clouds, land, water and fire complete each end of this multi-referential wall piece. The recurring horizontal format of these panels is reminiscent of beaded wampum belts used by Iroquoian peoples during colonial times to mark agreements between aboriginal North American and Western European nations. However, urban symbols such as the image of the Eaton’s department store in Brantford mark the despotic results of late twentieth century capitalism, thus conflicting with the coloured photograph of a turtle which according to Mohawk mythology bears the tree of life on its back. Nevertheless, these social incongruities best describe the trials and tribulations of a vibrant aboriginal North American community, that currently adheres to the values of both locations. Jamar’s ironic perspective on this situation may be indicative of her circumstance as an “Indian” city dweller, who experiences a pronounced level of cultural tension.

Therefore, the most consistent link between the works of HeavyShield, David and Jamar is to be found in their respective explorations of animal art, through a fusion of conceptual and narrative techniques. Unfortunately, the tireless application of racial divisions and compositions forwarded by the curator in her catalogue essay, which at the time of this article had yet to be published, restricts their telling creations to a prejudicial territory. However, I would not suggest that these works are not connected because they evoke the complex geopolitical relationships between the First Nations and Euro-Canadian governments in post-colonial times. The fact that all of them are of aboriginal North American ancestry most definitely determines each artist’s subjectivity, but they do not constitute a superior breed of social commentators as the curator incessently expounds. Such a collective evocation may be more aptly characterized as an art of urban contradiction in the late twentieth century – when the sovereignty of Western doctrines has failed a land shared by many nations.

Videotexts is a collection of previously published essays written by Peggy Gale between 1977 and 1994. The articles have been revised and are positioned between a new introduction and afterward. The combination of the systematic development of Gale’s reflections on Canadian video art, and her germane hindsight provide the reader with a perspicacity into this medium’s early evolution.

Rather than furnishing a chronology of video’s development Gale focuses on specific themes. Concepts of narrative, memory and the self are addressed in relation to specific works and artists. These are then situated within the economic, social, technological and aesthetic terrain of Canadian video. Although a theoretical background is apparent, Gale does not lose her subject in the labyrinth of contemporary video theory.

The re-editing that Gale has done notwithstanding, the nature of the articles which comprise Videotexts (the majority of which were written in the mid-eighties), prevent her from considering some of the more contemporary issues within video today. Gale recognizes this inadequacy and tries to reconcile it in her conclusion. Gale should be commended as one of the first critics to write about video art in Canada and as such, Videotexts provides an excellent introduction and raises questions which could serve as the basis for further research. C. S.

North Carolina painter, Brad Stroman, brings an unusual sense of abstraction and realism to his art. In Brad’s words, “as a contemporary painter I continually challenge myself to create thought provoking compositions based on our environment.” The acrylic paintings on masonite are highly textural and finely detailed. Brad’s tromp l’oeil technique adds great visual excitement to each painting.

Morning Star Gallery takes special pleasure in bringing you the art of Norma Malerich, whose paintings, assemblages, and mixed media wall hangings have graced the gallery walls since 1988. Norma’s creative spirit was cultivated in Italy and Japan where she lived for many years. Ms. Malerich currently divides her time between Ohio and Florida, and paints, paints, paints! Please request photos of her current work at Morning Star Gallery.

The rural south is depicted eloquently and passionately in the oil paintings of Greg Osterhaus. From moody to brilliant, Greg’s use of color affords him unlimited freedom to create on his canvas a world rich with life yet seemingly untouched. “Paintings are as much about the paint as they are about the subject matter,” explains the artist. His impressionistic style invites the viewer in, and allows others to share his vision of the south and it’s inhabitants.

“STORY telling is closely analogous to my work. Each painting is actually a connected series of smaller paintings that tell a story…The basic MEDIUM is water-proof, color-fast durable acrylic paint on canvas. The STYLE of much of my paintings employs a technique which allows the un-painted warm canvas to show through the surrounding painted areas to form a unique image. These and vibrant color areas are frequently contrasted with stark white negative spaces..” Trena McNabb

“The most rewarding aspect of my work is the customers’ positive reaction to it. So much so, that in addition to purchasing one or more pieces, some customers tell me that they were inspired to take in that stray or abandoned dog or cat that they found.”
Ms. Flinn’s award winning art has received much critical acclaim. Jill believes that by bringing joy to her viewers, her art serves as an inspiration to share that joy with others, whether of the same species or not.

Linda Griffin’s watercolors have received honors for many years. She is an accomplished painter of flowers and landscapes, and has enjoyed painting on commission. Linda’s most recent work in watercolor features abstract compositions in jewel-like color combinations.
She is an award – winning member of the North Carolina Watercolor Society. Morning Star Gallery shows Linda’s originals as well as her prints.

Norma Fowler comes to Morning Star Gallery by way of North Tahoe Artists Association where she served as Executive Director. Besides painting full time, Norma has also taught art and arranged art shows and exhibitions.
Norma’s fluid and expressive paintings allow her to share her adventuresome, creative spirit. She says, “painting for me is putting colors from my heart and soul onto paper or canvas. Painting … allows me to express myself from the interior without words.” Norma is a resident of the North Carolina High Country..